Choosing the right system
Choosing a pump for garden irrigation and sprinklers
Watering the garden asks something a bit different of a pump than the house does: irrigation is mostly about flow, moving enough water to run your sprinklers or drippers at once, at the pressure they need to work. Get those two numbers and choosing is easy.
Flow first, then pressure
Every sprinkler or dripper has a flow rate (litres per minute) and a pressure it needs to work properly (pop-up sprinklers typically want a couple of bar). Add up the flow of everything that runs at once in a single zone, that’s the flow your pump must deliver, at that pressure. Running fewer sprinklers per zone means a smaller pump can do more.
Count your zones
Most systems split the garden into zones that run one at a time, so you size the pump to the biggest single zone, not the whole garden. A controller that runs zones in sequence lets a modest pump water a large garden.
Switching: solenoids, not taps
A pressure-controlled pump stays powered on and starts itself the moment a zone opens; there is nothing to switch at the pump. Let an irrigation controller do the opening and closing through pressure-rated solenoid valves, one per zone, and the pump simply follows.
Where you can, install the controller and solenoids near the pump. Short runs between pump and valves keep the permanently pressurised pipework to a minimum, simplify the wiring, and put the whole switching setup in one serviceable spot.
Your water source matters
- From a tank, a surface pressure pump draws and pressurises it.
- From a bore or deep well, you need a submersible (see our bore-pump guide).
- Boosting off the mains for irrigation may need your water authority’s approval.
How to size it
Add up your biggest zone’s sprinkler flow and the pressure they need, then match a pump whose curve covers it. For a shortlist, use this:
I need a pump for garden irrigation in Australia. My water source is [a rainwater tank / bore / mains]. My biggest watering zone runs [N] sprinklers or drippers totalling about [X] litres per minute, and they need about [Y] bar to work. What flow and pressure rating should the pump have, and should it be a surface or submersible pump?
The Boost range handles irrigation
Our Boost pumps deliver strong, steady flow and hold a set pressure, exactly what sprinklers want, and the larger Boost 8 is built for the higher flow that irrigation and bigger properties need. They run only when water is drawn and back off when a zone closes, and you can see it all in the app. Not sure which size? Our quick quiz points you to the right one.
Common questions
Can one pump do the house and the garden?
Often yes, if the pump has enough flow for your biggest irrigation zone on top of household use. If your irrigation demand is high, sizing up keeps the house pressure strong while the sprinklers run.
Do I need more pressure or more flow for sprinklers?
Mostly flow. Sprinklers need a certain pressure to throw properly, but the thing that decides the pump size is the total flow of everything running at once. Too little flow and the sprinklers at the end of the line droop.